Shirley MacLaine’s legendary career comprises more than 50 feature films highlighted by an Academy Award win and six nominations, six Emmy Awards nominations, seven Golden Globe Awards, including the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, and the title of international best-selling author. What better actress to play the formidable American mother of Downton Abbey’s New York–bred Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham (portrayed by Elizabeth McGovern)?

MacLaine recently starred in Bernie, alongside Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey and appeared in Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. MacLaine can also be seen on stage during her one-woman show tour as it hits cities across the globe, combining a montage of memorable film moments with private revelations about her extraordinary life, career, and spiritual journey.

In the fall of 2011, MacLaine received France’s most prestigious cultural award, the Legion of Honor, presented by France’s Minister of Culture and Communication, Frederic Mitterrand, at the French Cinematheque. She released her best-selling book Sage-ing While Age-ing in 2008, followed by her latest New York Times best-seller, I’m Over All That–And Other Confessions, released on April 5th, 2011. She recently appeared in the ensemble film, Valentine’s Day, and the Lifetime made-for-TV movie Coco Chanel, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG Award.